A short tome but an answer to a question pitched in the last blog.....did Class 24,
5081's light engine test run go well? The short answer, yes! So much so that on the 19 May a further test run was arranged, this time with Class 26,
D5343 (the rostered loco on the
PURPLE timetable) and 8 Mk 1 coaches as a decent load of some 350 tonnes.
5081 was added as pilot loco after
D5343 had arrived back from Broadway and led to Cheltenham without incident. It was good to see it in full flow again after nearly 3 years of inactivity and, despite slight issues with its batteries, the loco looks set to hit the rosters again in June to rack up some mileage before the Diesel Gala in July.
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| 5081 being prepped ready for its maiden loaded test run after its bogie overhaul. |
D5343 hits a major birthday this year, along with the Class 26 and 27 fleet. Although planned in 1956 and the build starting in 1958, both classes entered service with British Rail in 1959 thus making it 60 years since acceptance to BR stock. On its run from Broadway,
D5343 was suitably adorned with a commemorative headboard courtesy of the owning CMDG.
After returning to shed we were greeted to the sight of Class 47,
1693, being propelled up the unloading road and into the car park at Toddington by Class 04,
D2280. Considering it has no roof it seemed to be an odd move given the weather was very changeable. However, the reasoning was sound. The Monday morning would see a lorry arriving laden with the refurbished radiators for
1693 as well as a crane in order to lift them back into place.
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| D2280 pushes 1693, in its coat of many colours, into the car park. |
With the jacks now free it was time for another of the diesel fleet to go for a ride into the atmosphere of the David Page Shed. Class 37,
37215, was booked in to utilise the lifting gear on Tuesday 28 May in order to remove the bogies so that work could start on the issues that had been flagged just after Christmas. This includes replacing the traction motor bellows, bushes and dampers. Sadly, I wasn't present, but the job was completed in the day and when I was rostered again the day after the bogies were resting under covers in the shed and
37215 was sat on Road 10 on a set of very horticultural accommodation bogies!
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| 37215's bogies await the work to start on the repairs. |
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| The accommodation bogies for 37215 to rest on. Some interesting flora and fauna present! |
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| As with 5081 some interesting graffiti adornes 37215 bogies. These obviously once sat under sister machine 37165. |
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| The new traction motor blowers sit in the box of new bits. |
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| This is one of the reasons why the bogies were removed. Well past their best! |
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| With an hour or so spare I get sweeping some of the loose dirt away ready for the bogies to be power washed. |
The lift of
37215 was conducted with the help of the Bo'ness Railway Class 37 group who lent the Growler Group the lifting brackets. Cooperation between groups is always key - not just on your own railway but across the preservation globe.
